By Meg Hibbert
Contributing Writer
Sixty-two members, families and guests celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Salem Host Lions Club on Oct. 14. The club is one of the oldest in the state and is the oldest in this Lions’ district.
District Governor Judy Alford of Christiansburg addressed President Phil Eddy and the gathering at the Salem Civic Center, recounting the club’s successes and her wishes for its future. With her was her husband, Marty Alford, past Council Chair.
The club was organized on Oct. 11, 1935, and chartered on Nov. 25 that year, with 21 members. That original charter – signed by the 19th Lions President Richard S. Osenbaugh and Secretary Melvin Jones – hangs in the Civic Center. Today there are 44 club member committed to the Lions purpose of service.
Lion Phil Eddy is the current president.
“At the celebration we had a wonderful time,” said Salem Host Club Secretary Tammie Brightwell.
She shared an overview of the club’s many projects, known for vision screening for elementary and high school students in Salem and Roanoke County and hearing screening for every preschool child in the Roanoke Valley Roanoke.
“Since 2023 the club has donated almost $108,000 and contributed over 1,500 ours of service,” Brightwell said.
One of the ways Host Lions raise money for scholarships and other contributions is by preparing and selling thousands of bags of popcorn, hot dogs and chicken tenders, hot chocolate and coffee in the home and visitors’ concession stands at the Salem High School Football Stadium.
That has been going on since 1985 when the stadium was built and the concessions contract was granted to the Lions Club for all SHS and now Roanoke College football games and all other events at the stadium.
Brightwell said often leftover food from the concession stand is donated to Salem Police and Fire and Rescue Departments.
Among organizations that contributions have gone to are SHS, Andrew Lewis Middle School, the Salem Police D.A.R.E. program, Salem Police Special Olympics Special Olympics Torch Run, Salem and Glenvar High School After Prom Parties.
Others are LOA meals programs, the Salem Animal Shelter, Central Virginia and South West Virginia Honor Flights for veterans, Kids Soar afterschool programs, Family Promise, Habitat for Humanity, Feeding Southwest Virginia, Carilion Childhood Cancer, Sleep in Heavenly Peace project of building beds for children without them, and Roanoke College Athletic Department.
Mrs. Dorsey’s Clothes Closet has also received Lions’ donations, as has Carilion Childhoood Cancer’s program and the Community Christmas Store, as well as Lions international and state programs.
Regularly members of the Salem Host Lions Club volunteer at the Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center on Elm Avenue in Roanoke. Donated frames and glasses are checked and distributed to people throughout the world who need glasses.
Lion Christopher Bircher is the new maintenance administrator for the location, Brightwell said. Bircher received the Salem Host Club’s Lion of the Year Award. Earlier this summer, two members – President Phil Eddy and Administrative Treasurer Earl Pettrey – received the Melvin Jones Award. Lions International was founded by Jones in 1917.
The Melvin Jones award signifies $1,000 was donated in the name of the recipients.
